Respirator.



C. STIRIZ. RESPIRATOR.

APPLICATION rum) MAR. 1, 1909.

Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

@ZWJM/ nventor:

by MK W Atty PATENT OFFICE.

STATES.

CHARLES SEIBIZQOI NEW.IQB,K, H. Y. v

" msrm'rdn.

Speclfleatioh 01' Letters Patent. j Patented,Aug. 26,1913. a magnum mailman-190a. 1am! loe48b5508.

I T tainunew'and dseful Improvements in Resfpirators, ofiwhichJthe following is a specication, reference being had therein te -the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

'My' invention relates tovrespirators and more articularly to :that classz thereof 41th for curative uses.

The main object of the invention is to-"pro -vide a resplrator, themonstruction andmode "ofoperation of which will besuch as to in-s sure the clarification of the air-drawn into the lungs of a patient,--for the treatment of:

tuberculosis and other pulmonary-ailments.

ithis character utilizing an: electric spark' for i eth ipurposes abovespecified, the closing ofthe circuits to the spark ga being automaticallycontrolled by the in elation and exhalation of the-breath of thewearer.

A still further object is to provide a de-* vice of this character wherein the intensity of the-spark maybe so regulated as to adapt the-device to 'difierentusers, or to a tempo- 1 rary condition of the-user which may necessitate a gradnal increase in thestrength' of the'spark. A a I V Ag'still further jobject is to providein a deviee" of this dlaracterymeans whereby the mature of the spark gaps-:maiy be increased it-desired, either with or without an imxoreabe in the-length of the-spark. I

A Still'fililrth6t bbject is to pro'vide as-de 1 vice employing a 'valve construction whereby the'circuitto-the spark -gap'maybe autof anaticall opened and closed: by the exha1a-.

tion an inhalation 0d? the user, and -the movements* of saidvalve will increase t e ".popening as the circuit to the=spark gap 3 opened, and will dimi'nish said: openlng as the 'user inhales the air through the appa-w ratus, thus not: only' 'ving abreathing exer-=' I cise, but bringing tr e air in:- small' rolume *adWstablymmted ll\"iI-ll insulating casing ect is to provide tide- .li'k'elihood ofelectric shock to the useiz- "Anda still :further object is to provide a device of lthiS character which may beinespensively \H produced and simple in design so as tobe,

' A furtherobject is to provide a device of:

'awlon 'tudanal section through a respirator mambo yingr my: invention in 'its broader' form, and =Fi 2 is asection entire line 2--2 of Fig. 1, an also embodyin therein-a diagrammatic showing of the' c1rcuits',-and-the means'nrranged therein for controlling-the :intensity andthevolume of the spark Within .thesrespirator.

' Like' letters'refer tolike parts throughout the-several views.

3 'Imthe embodiment of=my invention shown inthedrawings, I have shown at'aa cylinadrical: casing one end of which is so shaped as to beadapted to fit about :themouth and nostrils of a' person 2 and I the other end of 'whioh opens outwardly. 1 Any suitable means, as the head strap b ,-may beused to hold the appliance inthe positiomshown. The cas- .ing a is5--preferably :made of an insulating -material such as vulcanite, fiber, or papier mfich, in order to prevent-the' user receiving a shock through said casing} Mounted adijac'ent w the open end of-the'casinge is an msoillating wal'veflap c, which-flap is'overbalanced so am to normally close through :gravity. The flap sis-mounted iii-the casi ling a. b

flap an passing through suitable bearings formed im the s'aid casing." The-valve flap c'has a plurality of perfoit-atiol'ietherein and seaidiflap earriesoneterminal d o fan elecr 'trical cireuib preeented inwardly thereof,

itake an desired ierm, but preferably Iemplay: a:- isk in order to permit-the number of -opposed'terminals to be multiplied as desired :with a resultant dist'z'ibutionof the electric sparks-across the duct adjacent to said flap walveJ' It! the'accompanying drawings, I i ihaveshown' three-suchterminals f-,- and g,

a which terminals extend to a I point adjacentto v the periphery of the said disk 03. 1 llhei'outer-end ofeach-said terminal 0, f, g isrprovided with 'wbinding post, to facilitate theettachm'ent of the terminal wires e27? "and 9 thereto." Said-terminals e fand g are preferebly made kdjustable "by" screw "relative tmthe'casing ax Dhis terminahmay Referring to thedrawings :-Figure 1 is threads, on the outer ends thereof, such adjustment being for the purpose of varying the width of the gap and consequently the length of the spark. The outer ends of the pivot ll by means of which the flap 0 1s pivotally mounted relative to the casing a, carry respectively a binding post by means of which the terminal wire d may be attached to said pivot.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown the use of the invention in connection with a dynamo circuit, the dynamo being indicated at I), and being shown to be in communication with the pivot d through the wire (F. The other terminal wire 71 of the dynamo is in communication with the terminals e, f g, respectively, my invention contemplating the arrangement in the circuit of suitable ppliances as a rheostat i, and the switches j, j and 7' whereby the in tensity of the spark may be controlled or the number of sparks varied at will. One terminal of each switch 7', j and 7' is wired in any approved manner to one terminal of the rheostat, and the other terminals of said switches are in electric connection with the wires 6 f and g. It will be observed that by this arrangement the circuit to any terminal e, f or 9 may be opened, thus permitting the use of any of these terminals for the development or formation of a spark within the casing a and adjacent to the flap 0.

The operation of m herein described respirator is substantial y as follows. The mouth and nostrils of the user having been inserted in one end of the casing a and the casing held by straps b in a manner to prevent the escape or entrance of air through that end, the rhcostat switch 2', is set upon any of the contacts in order to increase or reduce the resistance and vary the intensity of the current passing to the terminals c f 5/. One or more of the switches j, j and finay then be set to close the circuits to any or to all of the terminals 6 f g at which time the spark will be formed between said terminals and the disk (I. the circuit being completed through said disk, the pivot d thereof, and the terminal (Z As the user exhales his breath, the air currents will raise the lower portion of the flap 0 thus increasing the gap between the disk d and the terminals c,f, g to a point where the current will not jump same. This opening of the lap will at the same time increase the size of the discharge opening through the open end of the casing a and rapidl clcar said casing of the foul air. \Vhen the user inhales or draws in his breath, gravity supplemented by the suction induced by breathing, will draw the flap 0 into its former position, reducing the gap and forming a spark or sparks directly in the path of the inflowing air. the effect of this spark being not only to clarify the air, but to heat same slightly in a manner to prove beneficial to the lungs, nostrils or throat of the user. The reduced size of the openings through which the air must pass will tend to retard the flow of the air being drawn into the lungs, thus insuring its thorough intimate contact with the said sparks and at the same time causing a muscular exertion which will be beneficial to the user.

If desired, any well known electrical appliances as a Ruhmkortf coil, may be included in the electrical circuit together with a circuit interrupter for the purpose of increasing the intensity of the current and the resulting spark, and permitting the use of the appliance with a battery.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details of construction shown in the drawings. it being apparent that such may be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

1. In a respirator, an air duct having an inlet opening therein, an electric circuit in cluding therein oppositely disposed terminals within said duct and spaced apart to form an air gap adjacent to said inlet opening whereby the air passing through said opening is subjected to an electric spark across said gap, and means actuated by the passage of air through said duct for automatically increasing and diminishing the width of said gap to interrupt the sparking.

2. In a respirator, an air duct having an inlet opening therein, a movable valve member controlling said opening, an electric circuit included therein oppositely disposed terminals carried by said duct and said valve member respectively, said terminals being spaced apart to form an air gap, whereby the air passing through said opening is subjected to an electric spark across said gap, and a pivotal support for said valve member whereby the air passing through said duct automatically actuates said valve member to produce or prevent the sparking at said gap.

3. In a respirator. an air duct having an inlet opening therein. a valve controlhng said opening, a terminal carried by sald valve member, a terminal adjustably mounted in said duct whereby a gap is formed between said terminals, and the length of sald gap may be varied, an electric circuit 1 neluding said terminals therein.

4. In a respirator. an air duct having an inlet opening therein, a valve controlling said opening, a terminal carried thereby, a plurality of terminals carried by said duct, said last mentioned terminals being spaced away from said valve terminal, and all said terminals being included in an electric circuit, and means included in said circuit whereby the circuit to any of said last mentioned terminals may be opened to vary the length of the spark within said conduit.

5. In a respirator, an air duct having an inlet'opening therein, a valve controlling said opening, a terminal carried thereby a plurality of terminals carried by said duct, said last mentioned terminals being spaced away from-said valve terminal, and all said terminals being included in an electric circuit and means included in said circuit whereby the circuit to any of said last mentioned terminals may be opened to vary the volume of the spark within said conduit, and means also included in said circuit for varying the intensity of the current passlng through said last mentioned means.

6. In a respirator, an air duct having an 7 inlet 0 in sai duct at a point a ove the center thereof whereby gravity will tend to close said valve, said valve having a plurality of openings therethrough whereby the closing of the valve will result in a reduction in the volume of air passing therethrough, a terminal carried by said valve and an oppositely disposed terminal carried by said duct, said terminals being spaced apart when the valve is closed to leave a spark gap, and an electric circuit including therein both said terminals.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature this 20th day of February, 1909, in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES STIRIZ.

Witnesses:

P. V. WENING, P. FRANK DONNEK.

ening therein, a' fla valve mounted 

